Package display rack



Jan. 22, 195,2

A. DREYFUS, JR

PACKAGE DISPLAY RACK lF'iled Feb. 5, 1950 llllllm-WIII llllllllll' u INVENTOR im, /Z

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 22, 1952 j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKAGE DISPLAY RACK Asher Dreyfus, Jr., Oklahoma City, Okla. Application February 3, 1950, Serial No. 142,161

, 2 claims. (o1. 2x1-71) This invention relates to a package display rack and is more particularly directed to a means for` holding packages on the rack.v

An object of the invention is the provision of a display rack in the form of a post or U-shaped member on which may be positioned adjustably, a plurality of package holders adapted to clamp packages at predetermined intervals on the post or U-shaped member, each holder being provided with a nger having a free end received by one of a plurality of notches formed in the post or U-shaped member, said finger when engagedby a notch notonly acting as a fulcrum to permit rocking of the holder, but acting as a release for the clamping portion of the holder..

Another object of the invention is the provision of a display rack having one or more arms upon which are mounted spaced package holders having a spring-pressed clamping means for retaining articles or packages at spaced points on the arms, said arms being provided with notches for aiding in supporting the holders in place.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a display rack including a plurality of clamping elements adapted to be supported at spaced intervals on a standard maintained in an erect position by a base, each clamping element being manufactured from a flat strip of spring metal which is provided with spaced slots and bent intermediate the ends thereof into V-shaped formation with the slots being received by the standard in such a manner that one free end of the strip is pressed against the standard for clamping objects onto said standard.

The invention is best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, nevertheless it must be borne in mind that the invention is not conned to the disclosure but is susceptible of such changes and modifications as shall dene no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a front view in elevation of my package display rack,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front View in elevation of the rack illustrating more particularly a clamping unit for a package.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary rear view in elevation of the clamping unit in position, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of my rack showing more particularly the construction of one of the clamping units.

Referring more particularly to the drawings ID designates generally one form of an upright whichacts as the framework for supporting a plurality of clamping members II. The upright may be apost or an `inverted U-shaped supportasillustrated in Figure l. rIller outturned ends I2 of the legs I3 of said U-shaped member are welded to a base Ill of sufficient extent for retaining the upright in a vertical position. A bight Vportion I5 constitutes the upper end of the member Ill. The legs i3 are provided with spaced notches I6 as shown more particularly in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

Each clamping member is manufactured from a flat strip of spring metal. Spaced slots Il and I8 are punched in the strip. The slot I8 has the same width as the slot I'I, but has considerably greater length. Furthermore, the slot I8 is not cut-out completely for a spring finger I9 is retained. Said finger has its free end engageable with a spaced anchor notch I6 as shown in Figure 4. It will be noted that the iinger is bent rearwardly so that its free end is spaced from the rear face of the upper end 20 of the ilat strip of spring metal. The lower end is curved to provide a clamping element 2I. The free end 22 of said element is pressed rmly against a leg for retaining a package or an article in position on the rack.

If a single rod or post is employed, as the supporting rack, the clamping members II which have the intermediate portions 23 bent into V- formation, are slipped down over the top of the post with the post receiving the slots I'I and I8 which are disposed at opposite sides of the portion 23. The spring finger I9 performs a double function, in that it acts as a fulcrum for rocking the clamping members 2l yaway from the post when the releasing member or upper end 20 is pressed towards said post. The finger being formed of resilient material, acts to retain the clamping element 2l pressed against the post.

It must be borne in mind that when the rack or upright is in the shape of an inverted U- shaped member as illustrated in Figure l. a different operation is required to place the clamping members on the legs thereof. The free ends of the legs I3 of the U-shaped member are inserted through the pairs of slots I1 and I8 of a suflicient number of the clamping members II, after which the free ends of the legs are bentvas shown at I2 and said bent ends are then welded to the base member I4. The clamping members II are attached permanently to the U-shaped support since the free ends of the legs I3 of said support are welded to the base member I4.

The slots I'I and I8 and particularly the slot II have limited dimensions, and therefore, the legs I3 of the V-shaped support should have a substantially uniform cross sectional area throughout the lengths thereof. This is also true when a post is employed v,s the sole support. The slots are located upon opposite sides of the apex, of the V-portion 23 and are in longitudinal alinement.

The operation of the device will be as follows. When it is desired to suspend packages from the clamping members II, pressure is exerted upon the end 20 in the direction of the support I3 which will move the clamping elementl 2I away from the support permitting a portion' of the package to be interposed between the, support and clamping element. When pressure is released on the end 20, the free end 22 of the clamping element will engage the package in display position.

I claim:

l. In a package display rack having an upright provided with vertically spaced notches and a substantially uniform cross-sectional area throughout the length thereof, a clampingl member slidably mounted on the upright and formed from a fiat strip of resilient material, said strip being bent intermediate the ends thereof to form a V-shaped member, said strip having a slot atV each side of the apex of the V-shaped member, said slots being in longitudinal alignment for receiving the upright, one end of the bent strip forming a means for clamping an article onto the upright, the other end of the strip providing a releasing means for rocking the clamping means away from the upright, and a finger projecting from one end of the slot adjacent the releasing means and having the free end engageable with a notch on the upright, said finger when so engaged acting as a, fulcrum upon which the clamping member is rocked.

2. In a package display rack including an uprightof uniform cross sectional areay having vertically spaced notches. a, clamping member formed from a fiat strip of spring metal bent into V formation to provide a pair of legs projecting from the apex of the V formation, the legs at each side of the apex having a slot, one slot being longer than the other slot, a finger projecting from one end of the longer slot with the free endpof the finger engageable with a notch on the upright and acting as a support for the clamping member and a fulcrum for rocking the member by manipulating the leg within the longer slot, the slots being received by theupright, the other leg being bowed outwardly from the upright and having a free end engageable with the upright for clamping an article on the upright.

ASHER DREYFUS. J n.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,116,386 Copeland May 3, 1938 2,273,492 Malmer Feb. 17, 1942 2,532,022 Gunderson Nov. 28, 1950 

